The present application relates generally to an improved data processing system and method. More specifically, the present application is directed to mechanisms for enforcing reproduction rights on physical hard copies of documents.
With increased access to information using today's technology, much effort has been made to attempt to protect authors, publishers, and other entities who invest in the creation, publication, and distribution of copyrighted material from unauthorized reproduction, i.e. pirating, of the copyrighted works. Much of these efforts are directed to providing software to protect electronic works, such as electronic documents, digital copies of music, movies, software, and the like. While there are a number of products available that work quite well at helping to curb rampant pirating of electronic works, there are very few solutions that work well at reducing the unauthorized reproduction of physical hard copies of copyrighted works, such as a copyrighted document, book, or the like.
In order to help reduce the amount of unauthorized copying of physical hard copies of documents, some mechanisms have been developed for controlling the reproduction of these physical hard copies. For example, in one mechanism, paper sheet documents bearing an optically transparent, copyright intelligence code are provided. In the simplest form, the code indicates that the document is subject of copyright and functions with a decoding means and an interlock means of the copy printer that prevents operation of the printer until the necessary accounting data for the transaction has been entered into an automated transaction accounting system associated with the copy printer. In other embodiments of this mechanism, the code can include certain basic copyright intelligence such as the identity of the publisher or copyright holder and the document classification. More sophisticated codes can include the complete digital coding of the book or serial numbering system.
In another mechanism, a watermarking procedure is provided such that each of a set of copies of the work has a slightly modified form of a baseline watermark that is placed in a critical region of the data. The slight variations in the watermarks, however, are not perceptually visible and do not interfere with the works. If multiple persons collude to attempt to create an illicit copy of the work, i.e. a copy without a watermark, however, at least one of the modified watermarks is present in the copy, thereby identifying both the illicit copy and the copier. In this way, a digital watermarking process is provided that may be used as evidence in a court because it is robust against collusion.
In still another mechanism, a barcode is provided on each page of a document, such as over or under the normal text and graphics on the page, using special ink, dye, etching, film, electronic, or other processes. Barcode readers are placed in photocopiers along with a memory device for collecting data regarding the documents photocopied and the number of copies for eventual repayment to owners of the intellectual property associated with the document, i.e. authors, publishers, and the like.
Thus, the known mechanisms provide for a single watermark or barcode on a page of a document to identify that the document is copyrighted. Moreover, the known mechanisms provide a local storage of information about the identity of documents copied and the number of copies on a local storage device which can then be used by the provider of the copying machine to provide compensation to the intellectual property owners. Further, the known mechanisms provide a local input mechanism and communication mechanism for entry of accounting information, i.e. payment information, to allow copying of a copyrighted work, which may then be transmitted to a remote accounting system.